Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Wabasha County, MN

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
27157
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2030-04-13. Plan: Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481), approved 2025-04-14.

Since the plan was approved on 2025-04-14: no new hazard declaration and 24 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($11,345,841 a year), Tornado ($2,286,689) and Strong Wind ($1,320,762).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2030-04-13
Plan:
Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)
Approved:
2025-04-14
Days to expiry:
1,291

What changed since your last plan (approved 2025-04-14)

New federal declarations:
none
Storm Events records since approval:
24 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 0, SRL 2 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 12
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Wabasha CountyCountyApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291
Bellechester cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291Also approved under plan 110228 (Goodhue County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2029-12-12). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last.
Elgin cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291this jurisdiction approved 2025-05-21
Hammond cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291
Kellogg cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291
Lake City cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291Also approved under plan 110228 (Goodhue County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2029-12-12). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last.
Mazeppa cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291
Millville cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291
Minneiska cityCityApproved, expires 2030-12-16Winona County 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 111414)2025-12-172030-12-161,538Also approved under plan 110481 (Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2030-04-13). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last. this jurisdiction approved 2026-01-20
Plainview cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291
Wabasha cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291
Zumbro Falls cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110481)2025-04-142030-04-131,291

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Low$11,285,878$17,049$42,914$11,345,84181
2TornadoRelatively LowRelatively Moderate$1,487,609$7,019$792,062$2,286,68912
3Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,193,985$89,562$37,216$1,320,762131Includes 9 High Wind and 3 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
4HailRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$805,904$231,943$37,739$1,075,586147
5Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$94$734$898,297$899,12522Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
6Heat WaveVery LowRelatively Low$315$3$203,026$203,34413
7DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$161,363n/a$161,36315
8LightningRelatively LowRelatively Low$29,351n/a$76,667$106,0182
9Ice StormRelatively LowRelatively Low$8,415n/a$38,897$47,3135
10Winter WeatherRelatively LowRelatively Low$14,858$1,402$28,021$44,281107
11LandslideRelatively LowRelatively Low$1,601n/a$22,030$23,6310No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
12WildfireVery LowVery Low$5,171$24$310$5,5050No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
13EarthquakeVery LowVery Low$3,689n/a$685$4,374Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
14HurricaneNo RatingNo Expected Annual Losses$0$0$0$00No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide and wildfire records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 4904 (Very Low, 6.5); tract 4901 (Very Low, 5.4); tract 4906 (Very Low, 4.3)
Hurricaneno tract has a National Risk Index rating for this hazard
Landslidetract 4904 (Relatively Moderate, 97.6); tract 4902 (Relatively Moderate, 96.9); tract 4905 (Relatively Moderate, 95.8)
Tornadotract 4904 (Very High, 98.5); tract 4903 (Relatively High, 92.0); tract 4901 (Relatively High, 87.1)
Wildfiretract 4904 (Relatively Low, 70.3); tract 4902 (Relatively Low, 69.6); tract 4905 (Very Low, 66.8)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 4904 is Census Tract 4904). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill21 records, 1996 to 2026 (21 zone-level)1 day to 6 days (median 2 days); 19 with a recorded value6 consecutive days, 2010-01-01 to 2010-01-06, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage1 record, 2012 (1 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)15 records, 2012 to 2024 (15 zone-level)3 days to 141 days (median 29 days); 5 with a recorded value141 days (about 4.6 months), 2012-11-27 to 2013-04-16, a run of 6 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)160 records, 1972 to 20260.75 in to 2.5 in (median 1 in); 160 with a recorded value2.5 in hail, 2026-04-13; same size also recorded on 2021-06-17, 2022-05-11Hail, 2026-04-13, $820,000 property; $0 crops (2026 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lake City city (23 records), Plainview city (23 records), Wabasha city (17 records), Elgin city (14 records), Kellogg city (10 records), Hammond city (7 records), Mazeppa city (6 records), Zumbro Falls city (4 records), Millville city (3 records), Bellechester city (1 record); and 1 more jurisdiction (see the Excel file).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)13 records, 1999 to 2026 (13 zone-level)1 day to 9 days (median 2.5 days); 12 with a recorded value9 consecutive days, 2001-07-31 to 2001-08-08, zone-levelExcessive Heat, 2011-07-17, $6,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson0Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)5 records, 1998 to 2005 (5 zone-level)No damage reported in 5 records.Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)81 records, 1997 to 2024 (3 zone-level)Flood, 2010-09-24, $5,200,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Zumbro Falls city (17 records), Lake City city (15 records), Elgin city (4 records), Kellogg city (3 records), Plainview city (2 records), Wabasha city (2 records), Bellechester city (1 record), Hammond city (1 record), Millville city (1 record). Zone-level records (3) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)2 records, 2013 to 2015Lightning, 2013-10-04, $149,000 property; $0 crops (2013 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Bellechester city (1 record), Hammond city (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)12 records, 1996 to 2026 (12 zone-level)43 kt (49 mph) to 58 kt (67 mph) (median 49 kt (56 mph)); 12 with a recorded value58 kt (67 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2026-03-13; NWS zone MNZ079High Wind, 2021-12-15, $25,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2021 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)148 records, 1968 to 202640 kt (46 mph) to 85 kt (98 mph) (median 52 kt (60 mph)); 126 with a recorded value85 kt (98 mph), measurement type not recorded, Thunderstorm Wind, 1973-07-29Thunderstorm Wind, 1996-05-19, $12,000,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Elgin city (17 records), Lake City city (16 records), Wabasha city (15 records), Zumbro Falls city (13 records), Plainview city (12 records), Kellogg city (10 records), Mazeppa city (9 records), Bellechester city (4 records), Hammond city (3 records), Millville city (2 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)17 records, 1964 to 2026F/EF0 to F/EF2 (median F/EF0); 17 with a recorded valueF2 tornado, 1982-05-17, 3 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 800 yd wide, $250,000 property; crops not recorded (1982 dollars); same rating, casualties and property damage also recorded on 1964-08-28Tornado, 2019-09-24, $250,000 property; $0 crops (2019 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Elgin city (3 records), Plainview city (3 records), Lake City city (2 records), Bellechester city (1 record), Wabasha city (1 record), Zumbro Falls city (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)107 records, 1996 to 2026 (107 zone-level)Winter Weather, 2019-03-09, $100,000 property; $0 crops (2019 dollars); NWS zone MNZ079Countywide (zone-level records).

Where a hazard names more than 10 jurisdictions, the table lists the 10 with the most records; every one is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-c Extent".

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 17 declarations covering 14 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2024-06-282024-06-16DR-4797-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$520,806in the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 years
2023-07-192023-04-11DR-4722-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$111,820.26within last 5 years
2020-04-072020-01-20DR-4531-MNMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3453-MNEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4531
2019-06-122019-03-12DR-4442-MNMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Strong Wind, Winter Weather$475,432.18
2010-10-132010-09-22DR-1941-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$1,675,425.63
2007-08-232007-08-18DR-1717-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$229,680.68
2005-09-132005-08-29EM-3242-MNEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2001-05-162001-03-23DR-1370-MNMajor disasterSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Ice Storm, Tornado, Winter Weather$186,749.29
1998-06-231998-05-15DR-1225-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms, Straight Line Winds, and TornadoesTornado (primary); also designated: Strong Windno Public Assistance recorded
1997-04-081997-03-21DR-1175-MNMajor disasterSevere Flooding, High Winds,Severe StormsInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Strong Windno Public Assistance recorded
1996-06-011996-03-14DR-1116-MNMajor disasterFlooding and Severe StormsInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1993-06-111993-05-06DR-993-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1978-07-081978-07-08DR-560-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Hail & TornadoesHail; Inland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1974-07-131974-07-13DR-446-MNMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1969-04-181969-04-18DR-255-MNMajor disasterFloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1965-04-111965-04-11DR-188-MNMajor disasterFloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1957-06-221957-06-22DR-80-MNMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

7 Fire Management declarations (1976-09-08 to 1976-10-01) FEMA filed as Statewide with no county; each names one local fire. Listed on the state page.

Public Assistance not placed in any Minnesota county: 14 rows, $9,133,931.59; listed on the Minnesota state page.

Source: 3

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave22126001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record.
Drought15015001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail16010633101955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave13113001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Ice Storm5000101996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding8106101301996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning2000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind16041024301955 to 2026-06-30Includes 9 High Wind and 3 Strong Wind records.
Tornado17405401950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather1074318201996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2026-04-13Hail2.5 in$95,000 property; $13,000 crops (2026 dollars)0, 0OAK CENTERnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2026-03-13High Wind58 kt (67 mph) measured gust$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2026 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MNZ079 (WABASHA), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2021-12-15High Wind55 kt (63 mph) measured gust$25,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2021 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MNZ079 (WABASHA), zone-levelwithin last 5 yearsB1-c most damaging: High Wind and Strong Wind
2019-09-24TornadoEF0, 1.09 mi within this county, 35 yd wide$250,000 property; $0 crops (2019 dollars)0, 0LAKE CITYB1-c most damaging: Tornado
2019-03-09Winter Weather$100,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2019 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MNZ079 (WABASHA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleet
2013-10-04Lightning$149,000 property; $0 crops (2013 dollars)0, 0HAMMONDB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2012-11-27Droughtdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone MNZ079 (WABASHA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Drought
2010-09-24Flood$5,200,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars)0, 0ZUMBRO FALLSB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2010-01-01Cold/Wind Chill$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2010 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MNZ079 (WABASHA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2001-07-31Heatdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone MNZ079 (WABASHA), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
1982-05-17TornadoF2, 3 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 800 yd wide$250,000 property; crops not recorded (1982 dollars)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Tornado
1973-07-29Thunderstorm Wind85 kt (98 mph), measurement type not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (582 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave8.79event-days per yearabout 8.79 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 11 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (36.7%)1672005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought5.88event-days per yearabout 5.88 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)1542000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.000328annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.0328%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail4.87events per yearabout 4.87 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)184.4 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave3.63event-days per yearabout 3.63 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 9 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (30%)542005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0events per yearnone modeledUnlikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)01851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.733event-days per yearabout 0.733 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)501946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding2.14event-days per yearabout 2.14 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 20 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (66.7%)601996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.292events per year (modeled)about 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning37days per year with a strikeabout 37 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind3.8events per yearabout 3.8 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)1451986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.334events per yearabout 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.0000421annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.00421%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather17.7event-days per yearabout 17.7 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 29 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (96.7%)3372005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202567302.23
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20257300.233
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025105303.5
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20257300.233
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20256300.2
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202510300.333
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20250300
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave6 of 663.473.383.1Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 4
Drought6 of 673.187.494.7Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 3, Very Low 1
Earthquake6 of 62.64.26.5Very Low 6
Hail6 of 685.593.898.6Very High 1, Relatively High 4, Relatively Moderate 1
Heat Wave6 of 627.840.656.0Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 5
Hurricane0 of 6No Rating 6
Ice Storm6 of 649.659.870.9Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 4
Inland Flooding6 of 621.489.199.3Very High 1, Relatively High 4, Relatively Low 1
Landslide6 of 640.894.997.6Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 1, Very Low 2
Lightning6 of 646.258.674.6Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 2
Strong Wind6 of 689.396.699.4Very High 3, Relatively High 3
Tornado6 of 670.984.598.5Very High 1, Relatively High 4, Relatively Moderate 1
Wildfire6 of 641.462.970.3Relatively Low 2, Very Low 4
Winter Weather6 of 660.771.782.9Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 4

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Wabasha CountyCountyApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 4$268,551.470 total; 0 since its plan
Bellechester cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded8 total; 0 since its planAlso approved under plan 110228 (Goodhue County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2029-12-12). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last.
Elgin cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$95,707.4138 total; 2 since its plan
Hammond cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$231,494.9812 total; 0 since its plan
Kellogg cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded23 total; 1 since its plan
Lake City cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$256,125.2456 total; 5 since its planAlso approved under plan 110228 (Goodhue County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2029-12-12). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last. Whole community, including the part in Goodhue County; none of its repeat-flood properties are in this county.
Mazeppa cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$6,81615 total; 1 since its plan
Millville cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,391.636 total; 0 since its plan
Minneiska cityCityApproved, expires 2030-12-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$19,219.381 total; 0 since its planAlso approved under plan 110481 (Wabasha County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, expires 2030-04-13). FEMA's plan status map shows one plan per jurisdiction and may show one of these; this packet uses the approved plan that expires last.
Plainview cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded40 total; 1 since its plan
Wabasha cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 7$404,170.5035 total; 3 since its plan
Zumbro Falls cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded35 total; 1 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2025-04-14county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$9,541,014,228$239,896,76521,380$94$734$898,297under 0.0001%$0
Droughtn/a$76,319,114n/an/a$161,363n/a0.211% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$15,868,688,505n/a21,387$3,689n/a$685under 0.0001%
Hail$9,541,014,228$239,896,76521,380$805,904$231,943$37,7390.00845%$968,000
Heat Wave$9,541,014,228$239,896,76521,380$315$3$203,026under 0.0001%$0
Hurricane$9,541,014,228$239,896,76521,380$0$0$00%
Ice Storm$9,537,268,148n/a21,365$8,415n/a$38,897under 0.0001%
Inland Flooding$9,528,131,606$7,090,547636$11,285,878$17,049$42,914n/a (see note)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$347,252,060n/a736$1,601n/a$22,0300.000461%
Lightning$9,541,014,228n/a21,380$29,351n/a$76,6670.000308%
Strong Wind$9,541,014,228$239,896,76521,380$1,193,985$89,562$37,2160.0125%$1,000$0
Tornado$9,541,014,228$239,896,76521,380$1,487,609$7,019$792,0620.0156%$305,000
Wildfire$2,034,693,167$67,246,4555,086$5,171$24$3100.000254%
Winter Weather$9,541,014,228$239,896,76521,380$14,858$1,402$28,0210.000156%$0

Totals since 2025-04-14 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 17 county-coded records, 17 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $1,274,000; 7 zone-level records, 7 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: no counted declaration since the plan.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population21,380
Building value (total, not at risk)$9,541,014,228
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$239,896,765
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$15,345,967
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$2,177,865
Social vulnerability ratingVery Low
Community resilience ratingVery High
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)2
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition11Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition1

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county total and NFIP communities

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total021111203
of which: Wabasha County (unincorporated area)0130401
of which: Hammond city0010100
of which: Wabasha city0171702

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredpropertiesNote
Wabasha County2704830130401
Bellechester city2707540000000
Elgin city2704840000000
Hammond city2704850010100
Kellogg city2706550000000
Lake City city2704860010100Whole community, including the part in Goodhue County; none of its repeat-flood properties are in this county.
Mazeppa city2704870000000
Millville city2704880000000
Minneiska city2704890000000
Plainview city2707530000000
Wabasha city2704900171702
Zumbro Falls city2704910000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential01901002
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential0121201
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 11 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Wabasha County, MN: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 27157). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/mn/27157/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: contact@hazardplain.org